Chapter 26: Worth It

**Shoutout to Fifth Harmony for the title of this chapter.**

Walking back into her house with Roman right behind her, Harleigha had a lot on her mind. However, she had to deal with one thing at a time. Her first priority was explaining a part of her life that she vowed to keep buried. However, her past was catching up to her and she had to get in front of this before she lost the war before it even started.

Locking up the door behind her, she walked back into her living room where everybody was seated in the same spots in addition to Roman who sat on the opposite end of her large couch from Seth. They all looked at her with concerned eyes. She wanted to tell everybody to get out so she could hole herself back up in her room. Her heart was starting to beat really fast, her hands were sweating and her knees got really weak. Walking over her window, she stared out into the dark street trying to collect her thoughts. This was going to be super hard. Way harder than she ever expected it to be.

"Sis you okay?" asked Athena

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Not really Athena. Not really."

Not turning around from her spot by the window she felt her sister come up behind her. Athena put an arm around her and just stood at the window with her. A few minutes later Amaria joined them on her other side. Having her sisters standing next to her and they had no clue what she was about to tell them was a blessing. She didn't think she could get through this without them.

"Whenever you're ready we're here. We ain't going anywhere sis. Together until the end." said Amaria

Clearing her throat she wiped the tears that she hadn't noticed she shed.

"Okay. What I'm about to tell you is a long winded and emotional story that needs to be told. My past is catching up to me and I don't know if I can hold this in any longer. I fear if I do someone might get hurt and I'll be damned if that happens. Amaria. Athena. You two deserved this years ago I just didn't want you to know that I'm not the person that you think I am. I am broken. I am bruised. I am battered. I am a shell of my former self."

Her sisters looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. She could tell they didn't understand what she was telling them. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a bar stool and placed it in front of everybody. They gave her their undivided attention.

"I'm confused."

"I know Amaria and I'm about to shed some light on it."

Rubbing her hands against her legs, the words she thought she'd never speak out loud spilled from her lips.

"So you know my ex Brandon right?"

"Yeah." Her sisters replied tentatively.

"You know the reason why you never met him?"

"Not really but I can take a shot in the dark guess." Said Athena

"What do you think?"

"Love makes people do crazy things?"

Athena shrugged while asking this.

"Ha. Close enough but not quite."

"Then what?" Roman asked softly.

She turned to him and he had the look of pure terror on his face. That mixed with the slight anger she saw in his eyes made him look absolutely ruthless. Her confession was going to make him go all wild Samoan in a minute. Thank goodness Seth and Dean were there because she had a feeling she'd be needing them. But then again Dean knew some shit and the way he reacted when he found about it at the hotel scared her too. Holy shit she was about to stir up a melting pot of emotions. This could potentially be disastrous but she trudged forward anyway.

"Yeah Harleigha. Why? And why are you telling us now?" Amaria asked in a sort of lost tone.

"Well like I said my past is catching up to me. Brandon came by hotel room the morning we came back to New York. I had no idea how he even knew where I was but if it wasn't for Dean I'm sure things would have gone very differently that morning."

"Wait a minute. Dean you knew about this?"

"Wait Roman before you jump down his throat I made him swear not to tell anybody."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted it to be me. Anyway, Brandon use to abuse me. Every single day for two years straight. I didn't bring him around because I didn't want to subject you all to that kind of negativity. I also didn't want you to get attached to him. He was, no he is a very dangerous person and I've almost lost my life on several occasions being on the business end of his hands and a few knives here and there."

The whole room took a collective gasp at that last part.

"Harleigha, what exactly do you mean a few knives here and there." Asked Athena in a very low grumble.

"A few as in twenty."

"TWENTY! ARE YOU SHITTING ME!? LET ME SEE!" Yelled Athena who had now leaped out of her spot on Dean's lap.

"Wait Athena before she does that, why did he abuse you?" asked Amaria

"Well the beginning reason was because I wouldn't marry him. After that I have no clue probably for shits and giggles."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Roman go completely rigid when she mentioned marriage. He could honestly combust at any moment the more she kept going. She could see him trembling slightly and his hands were now in fists.

"Lei, show them too me."

Athena was now standing next to her. She looked her in her eyes. Some of these scars were in some personal spots but she knew that Athena wouldn't stop asking until she had proof. Standing up she unhooked her suspenders so she could pull her shirt up. Turning around, she started with the ones on her lower back. From her peripheral vision she saw Seth and Athena get up to look at her back. To keep from breaking down she stared straight into Roman's blazing grey eyes. Considering his current state that might not have been the best idea but it was all she had. He had become her rock and until he shattered into a million pieces he was all she had left to keep going.

Feeling her sisters soft hands running over her scars made her shiver. She had no idea what their reaction would be to the ones on her front.

"Harleigha, that's only six." Amaria stated

Without saying a word she lifted her shirt over her head revealing the ones on her shoulder blades. She could see Roman staring at the one closest to her heart. She could only imagine what he was thinking and she honestly didn't really want to know. Turning around so her sisters could see the rest of her scars she held her breath. She was waiting for their reaction to her near death blow scar. Staring at them she watched their eyes travel across her toned stomach and stop at the very last one.

"Athena why is that so close to your heart?" asked Athena

"Because the day I got that was the day I finally decided to fight back. However, my efforts were futile. He eventually straddled me and choked me out before he trailed the knife up my stomach and slammed it straight into my chest. Still to this day I have no earthly clue how I got to the hospital but the doctors say when I got there the knife was still lodged in my chest. It was about a six inch blade kitchen knife. Had it been two more inches to the left I'd be dead."

"How come you never told us about this? I just don't understand why you went through this by yourself. We're your sisters we would've been there for you." Said Amaria

"I know twin. I know that now more than ever. It's just it was a dark part in my life that you didn't need to see. You two are so pure that I couldn't put this on you. Dean. Seth. Listen to me when I say I want you two to treat my sisters with the respect they deserve. You've seen what abuse can to do a woman. Let me be a walking example. If you ever feel like you need to hit them walk the hell away. Because I swear to God one time is all it will take for me to be down your throat."

"You have my word Harleigha and I'm sorry that you ever had to experience this. Even if you don't see it you're a very strong woman and I appreciate and respect the way you protect your sisters. Now let me take some of that off your hands. I swear I will protect Amaria with my life and her problems are now mine. Hand over heart I make this promise to you today." Said Seth

She looked him dead in his sweet chocolate eyes looking for any sign that she shouldn't trust him. Instead she found genuine sincerity in them and she nodded at him that she held him at his word. Turning to Dean he just looked at her nonchalantly. She didn't expect anything less and that made her want to laugh.

"You've already seen what I'll do for the people I want to protect." Was all Dean said. It wasn't much but she'd take it because she knew just exactly how ruthless he could be when he wanted to be.

"I've got one more question."

"What's that Ri?"

"Is that why Brian left? Did he know?"

"Ri as much as I'd love for that to be the reason I really don't have an answer for that."

"Well I think I can clear some things up." Came a male voice from behind her.

Turning around on her bar stool she came face to face with her brother Brian.